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Rolex

On your correction...

 

I agree and disagree.


Harwood's self-winding patent used a winding-weight that banged hard against its buffers. This was an extremely destructive technique that inevitably led to the movement failing. A few thousand watches were made but were not really accepted commercially and Harwood's patents expired with his business bankrupt in 1930. 

The design used by Wilsdorf was altogether different, using and modifying the auto-rotor movement from an existing (Aegler) movement. Wilsdorf patented this in 1932. This was the first "successful" self-winding movement. 

While you are right that Harwood did patent a self-winding movement before Rolex, it is also true that Harwood's patent didn't actually work. 

So, still, for Rolex, I think it is correct to say that they invented the first workable self-winding movement.

Regards

Joe
This message has been edited by Baron on 2013-05-15 01:40:25

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